King Von’s posthumous album, “What It Means To Be King,” hits streaming services.

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TOP 5

5. Evil Twins

King Von and Lil Durk definitely try to out-evil one another in “Evil Twins.”

King Von and Lil Durk’s chemistry is on point in “Evil Twins.” Over a pretty dramatic beat, the two O Blockians go back and forth about the bodies they’ve acquired and being tempted to press their enemies. The coldness/hostility that they spit their bars with will definitely make you check if your Brinks system is working properly.

4. War

“War” embodies Von’s brand, to me. It also screams out how ready he was for smoke.

To say that Von sounds wicked in “War” is an understatement. In the song, he relies on demented rap deliveries to let the world know violent and vindictive he is. He literally sounds like a villain that, at this point, I think only The Batman could stop. Overall, “War” is riveting, violent, crazy, and horrifying.

3. Straight To It

When King Von first came out, I actually thought that he was a drill rapper, mainly because one of the first songs I heard by him was “I Am Who I Am” with Fivio Foreign. “Straight To It” is another drill banger by Von that features Fivio, and as expected, the two rappers sound like naturals in it.

Doesn’t it sound like Von had a blast making “Straight To It?” He has a pep to his step in the song that is glaring. As for Fivio Foreign, he sounds like his usual sly, unassuming, and congested self in the song (Fivio is slowly becoming my favorite rapper).

2. Facetime

Two Chicago legends join forces for “Facetime.”

I truly feel like G Herbo and King Von love/loved their guns. Like, if they could legally marry them, they would. In “Facetime,” the two rappers talk about letting their guns off in traffic, bringing their guns to school, and using their guns to get rid of stains on walls. While Von sounds like a shooter in the song, Herbo comes across as more-so tamed and willing to let his guys do his dirty work in the streets.

It’s astonishing how frequently 6ix9ine’s name is mentioned by both alive and fallen rappers.

1. Don’t Play That

I really didn’t know that Von could make a track like “Don’t Play That.”

You don’t hear people say this much anymore but f**k it, I am going to say it: This song is very fun to listen to. “Don’t Play That” features a beat with a great rhythm, lyrics that are both hood romantic and demonic, and flows that will make you say “uh” after each bar. All in all, “Don’t Play That” is a certified hit.

Do you know who else “don’t play that?” the MLB.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. Where I’m From (3/5)

2. War (4/5)

3. Facetime (5/5)

4. Don’t Play That (5/5)

5. Straight To It (4/5)

6. Trust Nothing (3/5)

7. Evil Twins (4/5)

8. Too Real (3/5)

9. Rich Gangsta (4/5)

10. Mad (3/5)

11. My Fault (4/5)

12. Change My Fault (3/5)

13. Hard To Trust (/5)

14. Get Back (4/5)

15. Get It Done (4/5)

16. Chase The Bag (4/5)

17. Go N Get Em (4/5)

18. Grandson For President (4/5)

19. Family Dedication Outro (N/A)

RGM RATING

(B-)

I truly believe that King Von could’ve eventually become one of the biggest rappers in the game. Even though his content isn’t really groundbreaking, there’s nothing about his style of rapping that feels gimmicky, inauthentic, or similar to his peers. In other words, Von is one of the few rappers that I think was truly carving out his own sound. In What It Means To Be King, Von’s ability to essentially play by play his murderous ventures makes for a listen that is chilling but also unique. He also forces you to listen to him by relying on ferocious rap deliveries and vivid storytelling. Strangely, What It Means To Be King doesn’t sound like a posthumous album; that’s a testament to how much conviction Von raps with, how timeless-sounding his style of rapping is, and how open and honest he was about discussing the way he lived. While on this earth, he definitely left no stone unturned.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.